Fired Florence County deputy had been terminated before, documents say

FLORENCE COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – A Florence County deputy was fired Wednesday after he was arrested on misconduct in office and assault charges, according to a news release.

Deputies allege Brian Thomas Proffitt, 35, knowingly omitted material information from an incident report which may have implicated him in an assault during the arrest of a suspect.

Proffitt was placed on administrative leave during the investigation, the release states. He was released Wednesday from the Florence County Detention Center on a $5,000 surety bond. Proffitt was ordered not to return to the incident location and have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family, public records show.

“We hold our deputies to a high standard. We stand by them when they meet our standard and we hold them accountable when they do not,” Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone said in a statement.

Proffitt’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 8.

Previously Fired From Darlington Police Department

WMBF News learned this is the second time Proffitt has been fired from a law enforcement department.

Documents show Proffitt was hired as a Class One officer with the Darlington Police Department in 2008. One year later, in August of 2009, he was fired.

He was let go for violation of agency policy not involving misconduct, specifically listing incidents of quote, “numerous write-ups and sleeping on the job,” according documents obtained from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.

Just weeks after his firing, in September 2009, Proffitt was hired as a deputy with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.

Involved in Federal Lawsuit

WMBF News obtained documetns that show Proffitt was once named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit. Boone and other departments were also named in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed in March 2016. In it, the plaintiffs claimed Proffitt, while responding to an incident at a relative’s home in 2013, grabbed one of them by the throat, slammed her through a storm door, then got on top of her and placed her into handcuffs.

“According to sworn testimony by Proffitt, prior to being grabbed a woman by the throat, Michelle was not threatening Proffitt and was instead attempting to leave the residence and go back outside,” according to the lawsuit.

The woman and a second plaintiff were both arrested for breach of peace.

Days later, the lawsuit said they were arrested on charges including wounding a police officer and hindering an officer.

The lawsuit went on to say that Boone and two other members of the department failed to supervise Proffitt.

The lawsuit was settled in January 2018. The South Carolina Insurance Reserve Fund records show the plaintiffs received $18,000. The fund also paid out $44,000 in legal fees to the county’s law firm.